This reporting period covers the main growing stage of wheat, while maize planting started in February. Precipitation had been 51% below the average during the previous monitoring period. The proportion of irrigated cropland in Morocco is 15% and agro-meteorological conditions play an important role in the growth of most crops. The drought conditions continued during this monitoring period, as the CropWatch agro-climatic indicators show that the recorded rainfall was 184 mm, 15% below the 15-year average (15YA). The rainfall index graph shows that the rainfall was less than the 15YA during the January to mid-February period, with higher rainfall than the 15YA between late February and early April (>20 mm). The average temperature was only 0.2°C below the 15YA. The temperature index graph shows that the temperature fluctuated around the 15YA. RADPAR was slightly lower than the 15YA by 0.1% while BIOMSS was higher than the 15YA by 5%. The nationwide NDVI crop development graph shows that the crop conditions were far below the 5-year average (5YA) due to severe drought conditions, particularly during January and mid-February as confirmed by the rainfall index graph. The NDVI profile map indicates that about 21.1% of cultivated areas were slightly above the 5YA, and 78.9% were below the 5YA with some improvement in April. The VCIx was at 0.51, and the CALF was below the 5YA by 32%. Conditions for wheat production were highly unfavorable.

Regional Analysis

Based on the cropping system, climatic zones, and topographic conditions, Morocco is subdivided into four agro-ecological zones (AEZ). Only three are relevant for crop production: Sub-humid northern highlands including the central Centre-Nord Region and northern Centre-Sud, Warm semiarid zone covering the regions of North-Oriental and the broad Tensift Region, and Warm sub-humid zone of the Nord-Ouest Region. The agroclimatic indicators for the three AEZs show a decrease in rainfall (-17%, -17%, and -12%, respectively) and the temperature was also below 15YA by 0.2°C. RADPAR was higher than the 15YA by 2% in the first zone while it was at the 15YA in the second and third zones. BIOMSS was below the 15YA by 6%, 4%, and 4% in the three zones, respectively. The NDVI-based crop condition development graphs show similar conditions for the three zones following the national crop development NDVI graph. The VCIx was 0.67, 0.38, and 0.63, and the CALF was below the 5YA by 21%, 56%, and 15%, respectively in the three zones, implying poor prospects for cereal production.

Figure 3.44 Morocco's crop condition, January-April 2022

(a). Phenology of major crops

(b). Crop condition development graph based on NDVI     (c). Maximum VCI

(d). Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA     (e). NDVI profiles

(f). Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Sub-humid northern highlands)     (g). Warm semiarid zones) 

(h) . Crop condition development graph based on NDVI, Warm subhumid zones

(i). Time series profile of rainfall  (j).Time series profile of temperature

Table 3.45 Morocco's agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values, and departure from 15YA, January-April 2022

Table 3.46 Morocco's agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values, and departure from 5YA, January-April 2022